Amnesty International accuses Ethiopia over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists

Ethiopia: Multiple arrests in major crackdown on government critics

The Ethiopian government is tightening its suffocating grip on freedom of expression in a major crackdown which has seen the arrest of numerous independent, critical and opposition voices over the last two days, said Amnesty International. Six members of an independent blogger and activist group and a freelance journalist were arrested yesterday 25 April. Another journalist was arrested this morning. Meanwhile 20 members of the political opposition Semayawi (Blue) party have been arrested since Thursday. “These arrests appear to be yet another alarming round up of opposition or independent voices” said Claire Beston, Ethiopia researcher at Amnesty International. “This is part of a long trend of arrests and harassment of human rights defenders, activists, journalists and political opponents in Ethiopia.” Six members of the independent blogger and activist group ‘Zone 9’ were arrested on 25 April in Addis Ababa. Group members Befeqadu Hailu, Atnaf Berahane, Mahlet Fantahun, Zelalem Kiberet, Natnael Feleke and Abel Wabela were arrested from their offices or in the street on Friday afternoon. All six were first taken to their homes, which were searched, and then taken to the infamous Federal Police Crime Investigation Sector ‘Maikelawi’, where political prisoners are held in pre-trial, and sometimes arbitrary, detention. At around the same time on Friday afternoon freelance journalist Tesfalem Waldyes was also arrested. His home was also searched before he was taken to Maikelawi. Another freelance journalist and friend of the Zone 9 group, Edom Kasaye, was arrested on the morning of Saturday 26 April. She was accompanied by police to her home, which was searched, and then taken to Maikelawi. “The detainees must be immediately released unless they are charged with a recognisable criminal offence” said Claire Beston. “They must also be given immediate access to their families and lawyers.” The detainees are being held incommunicado. Family members of those arrested reportedly went to Maikelawi on the morning of Saturday 26 April, and were told they could leave food for the detainees, but they were not permitted to see them. The Zone 9 group had temporarily suspended their activities over the last six months after what they say was a significant increase in surveillance and harassment of their members. On 23 April the group announced via social media that they were returning to their blogging and activism. The arrests came two days later. It is not known what prompted Waldyes’ arrest, but he is well known as a journalist writing independent commentary on political issues. In further arrests, the political opposition party, the Semayawi (Blue) Party, says that during 24 and 25 April more than 20 of its members were arrested. The party was arranging to hold a demonstration on Sunday 27 April. They had provided the requisite notification to Addis Ababa administration, and had reportedly received permission. The arrested party members, which include the Vice Chairman of the party, are reported to be in detention in a number of police stations around the city, including Kazanchis 6th, Gulele and Yeka police stations. The Chairman of the party, Yilkil Getnet, was also reportedly arrested, but was released late on Friday night. Over the last year, the Semayawi party has staged several demonstrations, which have witnessed the arrests and temporary detention of organisers and demonstrators on a number of occasions. In March, seven female members of the Semayawi Party were arrested during a run to mark International Women’s Day in Addis Ababa, after chanting slogans including “We need freedom! Free political prisoners! We need justice! Freedom! Don’t divide us!” The women were released without charge after ten days in detention. “With still a year to go before the general elections, the Ethiopian government is closing any remaining holes in its iron grip on freedom of speech, opinion and thought in the country” said Claire Beston.

21 Responses

In Ethiopia currently the only language people can write a criticism about the government and get away with it is only if it is written in French. Writing criticism in Ethiopian native languages or in English had prooven to be causing severe consequences on the journalists. English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat and most critics are disguised under the UN umbrella and publishing their criticisms in French only.

Not exactly true! There is criticism of performance and criticism against existence of the federal structure. The former is democratic, the later is revolutionary. Messay kebede’s article on the recent blue party Amharic paper goes further by declaring war on opposition parties that are structured parallel to EPRDF. This is the form of agitation that leads to civil war, not the federalism that has seen the least amount of conflict in the last 50 to 100 years. Post thls form of continued agitation however, we are witnessing sport activities in Amhara Region become veniues of roman empire type of gladiator circus which the same, turn around and accuse the federal system for having their own demon of pride come to the surface.

It wanted Temesegen Desalegn to be thrown into jail like everyone who is preaching social unrest. Blue party must be disbanded because blue party is g7 and Almaariam is its president. Why is blue party allowed to rally violent protest every week. There is protest all the time. This is not good for our country. The government need to apply the law and no one should be above the law. Fuck Amnesty please

The EPDRF party controls all the parliament seats but one. It controls the army, the security, and the police. As if that is not enough it breeds cadres by thousands non-stop. Why a government which has a total control of everything that happens in the country cannot stand a handful of journalists and bloggers having different political views than the orthodoxy the government prescribes? In a country where 80 plus millions live having a few Ethiopians who have the courage to tell the truth the way they see it is too much of a burden for the government? EPDRF from its inception is insecure in its political philosophy. That insecurity is its own creation. Introducing ethnic politics to remedy ethnic “injustice” is a novel politics. No country has dared to chart that political move before. The outcome is unknown. It might have the opposite effect in fact. It might create ethnic sensitivity pushing the national identity issue to a back seat. The EPDRF politicians however is not concerned about the national issue being a second class citizen. In fact, they abhor any dissent that might revive the national issue to be upfront. But the EPDRF politicians should not arrest that political impetus. It is there in the country. The EPDRF politicians could arrest the messengers, but not the message. What the journalists and bloggers write about is what the majority of Ethiopians are talking about, in its crude form, behind their closed doors. The EPDRF politicians know this hard fact too. If not why the EPDRF politicians even pay attention for a handful of journalists and bloggers? They know Most Ethiopians are unhappy the way the country is run. Their solution to suffocate the message to death is make life hell for the messengers. Every dictators walked that road. Their end was not what they expected to be. In every circumstances finally the people won.

Well said. Actually I checked Awramba a couple of times after reading the arrest of the 6 bloggers. It is sad to see how people forget so quickly. I remember how people mobilized when Dawit and others were victims of the same accusations. At least he should show his solidarity with his fellows. What a shame!

I think there must be a tolerance between different political functions, including the government. My concern is the way “Semayawi” party is behaving in the name youth. when Semayawi “party” came in to light many people, including me think the party will choose a peaceful and civilized methods of political struggle and would avoid the old ideologues mentalities of the 60’s and 70’s. Unfortunately this party was trapped by those hate mongers Diaspora narrow minded elites who advocate bloodshed. I think this party will repeat the same same mistake what others has done in the past. It is unfortunate, for how long our country, especially the young will asked for unnecessary sacrifice.
As long as domestic political parties are choosing to be brainwashed and manipulated by infamous, notorious narrow minded Diasporas they will never succeed in bring positive and meaningful change to Ethiopian people. They only serve the interest of external power, which is a recipe for disaster. LOOK WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN MANY COUNTRIES BECAUSE EXTERNAL POWER ROLE IN INTERFERING IN THEIR INTERNAL AFFAIRS. Are we be the same? Is that what some Ethiopian politicians are looking for? Is it the best interest of our people, or the interest of elites? Is Ethiopian elites play politics for asylum seeking, and appreciation from those who are enemies of our development plan, in the name human right and environment?
My advice Semayawi party is this: It is not crime to get financial or any other support from Diaspora, but this support should be free from any kind of preconditions.
Dancing with the Wolfe here in Diaspora and asking freedom in the country is two different thing they must be separated. Either choose the right way or the wrong way and face the consequences. Dancing here in Diaspora with those groups or individuals who venomously opposing, clearly stand for enemy’s interest by joining our historical enemy’s axis of evils camp is not the right choice for those who wish for their country peace and best national interest.
This time is critical for our country, and it need a cautious political approaches. Adventurism and vagabond approaches should be condemned in any forms. We have seen and observing Semayawi party official with whom they are dancing here in Diaspora. Is it Not with those who oppose and support our traditional enemy Egypt? With whom Semayawi party officials touring different states here in the US? Not with those who stand for Egypt interest by opposing and dehumanizing our heroic Ethiopian experts? Is this Ethiopiawinet?
Please browse their mouth piece media outlets, what one of infamous “professor” recently posting not only in opposing but ridiculed our country. As an Ethiopian this is inconceivable.How the so called “professor” insensitive, naive and ignorant for the country support him, invest on him to become “professor” Is this the price to pay for his country?

Ethiopian people national interest, and security is beyond our individual or groups political interest or opinion. We have to have compromised stand and stand for the safety of our country, with regard foreigners. At this time some foreigners are a foreign body for us. We have to avoid them applying appropriate medication, in some case using pesticides, if they persist to suck our blood. We should not follow the course of the river as a dead fish. Only dead are insensible and insensitive either to their own or to their country.
United we stand we become strong
Long live Ethiopia
God save from wolves and vouchers!

They are so many i lost count. Is this the one funneling money through the spice girls empowerment thing or is it the Paris Hilton look alike who wants to be faith.Neo-Minilikism is not “a political party” but a reverberating ideal of conquest and centralism on the ground and amharization of all culture. It is the same social psychology that has sucked TPLF in addis with total disregard of the development of Tigray. It is the same arrogant social psychology behind the addis ababa master plan in total disregard to the constitution, land and culture in which “investment”‘is projected in. Koreans biggest regret is that they lost themselves in the process of developing. In ethiopias case, we have no development in Tigray with minilik acting TPLF and amharizing development in Oromia. Addis ababa is a minilik embodied city, in statue and in years of social
psychology. It’s psychology has to change FIRST before it expands. No one wants its minilikist filth. Instead of working on changing the development of Tigray and and erasing the minilikan social
psychology, this administration is sticking it’s finger on the people that brought it and are keeping it in power.

.Ethiopia’s current leaders lived by the gun and die by the gun. One example will be Meles Zenawi,he lived by the gun and died by the gun . Meles Zenawi’s Gun gave feedback to whoever tries to hold a dialogue with Meles Zenaiw. meles even killed his wifes ex-boyfriend because he the poor guy tried to contact his son (who was Meles Zenawi’s step son).Meles always resorted to the gun rather than resolving the any potential challenging issues with dialogue. He murdered countless children ,disabled peaceful citizens and elderly just to prolong his political party’s grab in power. Ethiopia is conducting a terrorists cleaning out campaign in neighboring countries eventhough the hypocrites warlords of Ethiopia are allowing terror to intensify within Ethiopia. Currently countless Ethiopians are migrating to middle east because of the human traffikers ill motive of making all Ethiopians Islam followers.

In Ethiopia close to 82% of all private employers are Islam culture followers enslaving the non-muslim locals while the majority of the country’s population are non-muslim.

10% of the private employers are foreigners making the non-Muslim native private employers only 8% of all private employers in Ethiopia.

The non-muslim , non-foreign , non-government private employers account for less than 0.5% of all private employers in Ethiopia since 7.5% of all Non-Muslim , Non-foreign local/native private employers are TPLF affiliated employers hiring only their own race Tigrayans..

haahhahahahahaaaaa… are you sure?Do you think you know and understand what you are writing what you are thinking and the time now which the glob reach?I am sure I dont think so.I was thinking at this time no one is blind with thinking just every one thinks universally about the glob but you are new for me. I was thinking just wrongly every one at this time thinks as human but you are thinking like the ones before the 16th century generation haahhahaaaa… Funny sew nek eshi!weregnaaaaa….

Each individual Diasporas outside Ethiopia need to make it a habit to regularly call or write the politicians of the countries we live into shed light in the socio-political and economical environment within Or0mia , Ethiopia and Africa as a whole. Olbana Lelisa and Bekele Gerba are being denied medical treatment. The two men, political opposition leaders and prisoners of conscience, are reported to be ill in Kaliti prison, Ethiopia. Olbana Lelisa’s friends believe his condition may be life-threatening.

I think there is a big gap between writers writing about a topic using their freedom of speech right and knowing the discipline to practice these human right based on accountability. Unless people understand the discipline required to practice their human rights, human right issues are going to suffer a lot. Some people do outrageous things under the cover of human rights hoping if some thing goes wrong they would be rescued by the west intervention. Since these westerners don’t understand the social fabric of Ethiopia’s people, they tend to evaluate everything based on western standard, as a result create a very complicated social disorder. Knowing only your right is not the only thing required in order to practice human rights privileges. It is important to know your human rights and its limitation in relation to other things in the society. AS they say “someone’s rights stops where the other person’s right starts.”

The kids might be victims in a game that they have little understanding of. The plan to destroy EPRDF and the federal system is meticulously designed and multiple-pronged. It encompasses neo-menilikian ideology, division of oromia into two through “Addis Ababa Master plan, thus nullifying Oromia and Oromo support for the federal system. Corrupting TPLF in Addis Ababa, isolating it from it’s home base. With Oromo and Tigray support for Federalism eroded, to launch an uprising with a neo-Minilikism frenzied Addis Ababa and Amhara region youth.
—–
The sophistication of the movement says there is an infiltration into international intelligence agencies and/or the international agencies are indeed behind this movement. A good lead to the total plan will be found by totally analyzing the “Addis Ababa Master Planners”, the clandestine geographers whose trail and fingerprint is behind the appehival.

-Amnesty International accuses “IRAQ ” over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists
-Amnesty International accuses “TUNISIA” over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists
-Amnesty International accuses “LIBIA” over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists
-Amnesty International accuses “EGYPT” over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists
-Amnesty International accuses “SYRIA”over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists
-Amnesty International accuses “UKRAIN” over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists,—
All the above countries changed government with violence supported by Amnesty as a cause for freedom.
Can Amnesty tell for the Ethiopian people how this countries are faring now? of course not Amnesty is not their to fight for freedom but to scum money by creating and fanning violence.

Now, Amnesty International accuses Ethiopia over mass arrest of journalists and opposition activists” which mass arrest? The one Amnesty is cooking now prior to the devils messengers visit to steer violence.

Their are many wrongly convicted in Ethiopia and the regime is in many cases unlawful , but most who are convicted as journalists are not journalists at all but traitor asylum seeker opportunists.

Edward Snowdon did for humanity more than any individual or organization is did, but he is on the run from his countries government for telling the truth and exposing wrong. He never claimed to be a journalist.——-and
” Amnesty say nothing to defend his Edward Snowdon’s right to freedom of expression. ——–
Amnesty is the evil trajectory of civil unrest to self destruction

For any nation to get out of want and backwardness needs to implement a difficult measure and it is a very pain full and complex process and it has no time for a free loaders like Ginbot 7 and other anti-Ethiopian devilish entities including Amnesty International corrupts.

The Ethiopia government must listen to Ethiopians and free the wrongly convicted prisoners who meant no harm to the nation, bring our port ASSAB back (ETHIOPIA CRIMEA ).

RETURN ALL THE LAND IN ADDIS ABABA TO THE RIGHT FULL OWNERS AS WAS AT THE TIME OF ATSE HAILE SELASIE.
OR COMPENSATE IN JUST.

The anatomy of self distraction of a Nation and the new colonization and scramble and the West’s for Africa.

Create a phoney exile government abroad —–
1 -Libyan opposition, Syrian Armed jihadist coalition, The Ethiopian ENTC —
2- Create a stooge local party ——– like
Disgruntled army defectors in libya, foreign jihadist fighters in Syria, Fascist in Ukraine and the
Semayawi party in Ethiopia.
3 – Start a media warfare/ demonize the ruling government and spreed false Armageddon news and
claim a grave human right abuse using Amnesty International.
4 – Chose a useless senator or congressman from US and condemn and fan the issue
5- Order the local stooge party to call a never ending demonstration and most importantly if their is an
international event ( like the semayawi during the AU summit in Addis Ababa disregarding and
calculating the security nightmare it will create to give birth to chaos.
6 – provoke the law enforcement and make the first shot using snipers and kill your own supporters—
and blame it on the government security. Like in Kiev right wing snippers who killed police and
protestors or commit a mass murder like the Croatian militants and muslim radicals in Bosnia and
blame it on the Serbs, for NATO to bomb Serbia for 78 days nonstop to destroy any infrastructure.
7- In Ethiopian case, force the country to halt any development by imposing an international embargo
and ruin what is built by suppling weapon to traitor recruited semayawi party militant members.
Dismember the country into many tiny nations. Install Ginbot 7 leader as the first president of the
principality of Gurage nation and make his dream come true.
—-dreaming the end of Ethiopia.——

In my dead body, Ethiopians will never let this happen. Yes EPRDF is dictator yet still building the
nation as a party of jungle principle much to its credit and a complete contrast to Ginbot 7 and
semayawi party. ——-

The only true and unwavering opposition in Ethiopia was the Mr. Lidetu Party, and the few other Local Ethiopian parties who are not funded by the shadow Amnesty branches,
Mr. Lidetu, God bless you and many like you. It is my take and my own opinion.